“Flora Japonica” at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 17 September 2016 celebrates the unique richness of Japanese native flora and the huge influence of Japanese plants on horticulture in the west. About a hundred Japanese wild plants are portrayed by 36 of the most eminent contemporary Japanese botanical artists.

Two of Daiwa Scholarship alumnus Carl Randall’s oil paintings, “David Mitchell and the Whispering Gallery” and “Katie Leung and the Shed” have been shortlisted for this year’s Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize at The Mall Galleries London, March 6th – 18th.

Even in the post-war, as Japan first rebuilt from the ruins of the Pacific War and then underwent a process of economic and industrial growth that brought with it pollution, urban dislocation and rapid technological development, the myth and reality of Japan as a land of beautiful objects has persisted and in turn continued to inspire artists and makers abroad.

Fishguard Arts Society in West Wales is holding an exhibition in collaboration with four artists visiting from Kyoto. In addition to the main exhibition which runs from 15 to 25 September, there is an exhibition of work by children from Kyoto in Fishguard Library Gallery and a collaboration exhibition in the historic ballroom in Tregwynt Mansion.

‘London Portraits’ is a recent project by Daiwa scholarship alumnus Carl Randall – a series of 15 portraits of people who have contributed to British culture and society, each in their own chosen locations in London. The beautifully filmed and structured 11-minute video shows him at work – for each person he first travels to

At any one moment, the National Portrait Gallery proudly displays around 1,400 paintings and on the 13th July 2016, which happened to be the day I visited, 15 of these portraits were painted by former Daiwa Scholar Carl Randall.

This vibrant exhibition showcases the work of the ten winners of the RBS Bursary Awards 2015 who represent the best and brightest emerging contemporary sculptors and includes work by Tsuyoshi Anzai. Anzai graduated with an MA in Film and New Media from the Tokyo University of the Arts in 2011, and is the 2015-2016 recipient of the ‘Core Programme’ residency at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas.

Exhibited as part of the International Dance Exchange Festival Birmingham 2016, gravity, movement and light are explored in Cosmic Birds, the mesmerising series of performing kinetic sculptures by Japanese artist Shun Ito from 2 to 20 May 2016.

Daiwa Scholarship Alumnus Carl Randall (http://www.carlrandall.com/) was recently interviewed by the BBC World Service about his series of Japan paintings. The piece looks at paintings made during his 10-year stay in Tokyo (2003-2013), focusing on his portraits of Japanese people and his portrayal of Tokyo’s crowds.